5 Reasons You Need to Watch the Millrose Games on Saturday

Four women are joining forces to go for a world record. A high school phenom is hoping to make more history. And an Olympic medalist could, at long last, get his prestigious Wanamaker Mile title.

The winter racing season begins in earnest this weekend with many of the top competitors in the world gathering on Saturday at the 111th Millrose Games in New York.

Those who can’t make it to the Armory can watch from noon to 4 p.m. Eastern on USATF.tv (subscription required). The action will also air from 4–6 p.m. on NBC.

Here are five of the biggest storylines this year:

Four women and one fast 4x800-meter relay

Chrishuna Williams, Raevyn Rogers, Charlene Lipsey, and Ajee’ Wilson are aiming to beat the standing mark of 8:06.24, set in 2011 by Russia. The quartet showcases the depth of talent at the distance in the U.S. right now. Wilson (bronze medalist at the 2017 world championships) is the American record holder (1:55.61), Lipsey competed at the 2017 world championships, Rogers was the 2017 NCAA indoor and outdoor champion at Oregon, and Williams was a member of the 2017 Olympic team in the 800 meters.

The team’s biggest challengers on Saturday will be Jamaica.

Two words: Katelyn Tuohy

Kirby Lee/Image of Sport

She’s the sophomore from Thiells, New York, who set the national high school record for 5,000 meters just two weeks ago in 15:37.12. She’ll compete in the high school mile at the Millrose Games, where she has a chance to go for the national sophomore record of 4:43.23. (Her fastest mile so far is 4:43.62.) With three more years left of high school, the 15-year-old could threaten Mary Cain’s national high school mark of 4:28.25 before graduation.

The sixth time’s the charm?

Nick Willis after winning the 2017 5th Avenue Mile in New York City.

PhotoRun

New Zealand’s Nick Willis, two-time Olympic medalist in the 1500 meters, has raced the Wanamaker Mile fives times. All five times he’s made the podium, but never the top of it. At 34-years-old, Willis says this is probably his last shot.

“I have put a huge focus of my training to make this happen,” he said in a written statement.

And while defending champion Eric Jenkins won’t be on the line, a few other contenders will be, including U.S. Olympic 1500-meter runners Ben Blankenship and Robby Andrews.

The women’s Wanamaker mile

Olympian Kate Grace is the only returning member of the 2017 podium. She placed second last year and returns to the Armory as a member of the Bowerman Track Club, the group she’s been training with for the past several months. Brenda Martinez, a 2016 Olympian in the 1500 meters, was scheduled to race, but scratched her entry on Thursday. Sara Vaughn, a member of the 2017 world championships team, will be there, as well as Grace’s training partner Colleen Quigley, steeplechase Olympian, who is returning to competition after injury.

New member of the sub-4 club?

Brodey Hasty competing at the 2017 Millrose Games.

Kevin Morris/Photorun

The aptly named Brodey Hasty, a senior at Brentwood High School in Tennessee who placed second at the Nike Cross Nationals in December, will compete in the men’s invitational mile. He’s bound for the University of Oregon after graduation and currently has a 4:01 personal best in the mile. He could head off to the NCAA in the fall as a member of the sub-4 society if all goes well on Saturday.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Runner's World participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.